The Breakfast Club

Children from eight local primary schools will from September start the day with a big, healthy breakfast thanks to a project funded by Aston Pride.

The top quality breakfasts, which meet the local health trust s gold standard , will include such things as granary bread, healthy jam and exotic fruit.

Health theme manager for Aston Pride Louise Murray said: This is no ordinary breakfast club it s a fantastic opportunity for children to experience a wide variety of quality food in a welcoming and fun environment.

Children will learn about health and nutrition and be encouraged to develop a taste for healthy food that, we hope, will carry on for the rest of their lives. We also think they may influence their whole family to eat more healthily.

Big breakfast clubs are at:

Prince Albert Junior and Infant school

Mansfield Green Junior and Infant school

Birchfield Community School

Aston Tower Primary School

Deykin Avenue Junior and Infant school

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

Yew Tree Community School

Manor Park Junior and Infant school

The Breakfast clubs will be well supervised, with a high ratio of staff to children. Schools will also be supported to obtain official healthy school status. Those schools with their own kitchen will prepare the meals themselves and those without a kitchen will have their meals delivered to their portable kitchens. Schools that have signed up to healthy breakfast clubs also get equipment for their school, funded by Aston Pride, to provide extra activities for the children. That might be extra computers, more sports coaching or exercise sessions or expression classes where children can improve their speaking and listening skills or express themselves through art. The idea is to provide new and favourite recreational activities for the children to feel proud, excited, involved and that will greatly enhance their well being, says Louise.

Around 350 breakfasts a week are expected to be served up if your child goes to one of these schools, they could be tucking in, too! Membership of the Big Breakfast Club will be subsidised during the first year but the following year the price per breakfast will rise slightly. Aston Pride has earmarked nearly £250,000 to get this important scheme off the ground. After three years the schools will take over the running of the clubs.

Big breakfast clubs are open to any child in the schools listed, except nursery aged children, as they need extra supervision.